The Original Bromance
by Jennifer10
Summary: Takes place right after TOW Chandler in Box. It's a Joey and Chandler scene. I also referenced a scene explored in my other story, When the Rain Starts to Fall with regards to a secret. It's a story of friendship and that is all!  R/R COMPLETE


Flip, flip, flip. Joey Tribbiani had now unpacked all the stuff of Chandler's he had unpacked and was now watching television, but the problem was that post Thanksgiving, there really was nothing on. So there he sat, eating pumpkin pie out of a tin flipping through the channels. Monica had been kind enough to make Joey a package of Thanksgiving leftovers to put in his fridge to eat which was what he was thankful for. Joey kept flipping but he couldn't find anything that he wanted to watch so he just continued alternating between eating and flipping.

Outside, Chandler kept debating whether or not he should open the door. He and Kathy had kissed. He had spent all of Thanksgiving locked in a box to show how sorry he was for betraying Joey the way he had. Joey had seemingly forgiven him and okayed Chandler running after Kathy, but Chandler was still on the fence about going into that apartment.

"Hey."

Chandler jumped a little and turned to hear Monica's voice in the doorway of her apartment. She was holding a container which looked like like it was holding a meatball sub and smiling at him.

"What's that?" Chandler asked.

"Well...I know you and Joey have been fighting and I know you made up...but I felt this might help seal the deal in you two being friends again so after everyone left, I made a meatball sub," Monica said, handing him the container.

"Thanks. He did forgive me? We are friends, right?"

"Yes. Come on, we can't you and Joey fighting. We get enough of that from Ross and Rachel."

"Hey," Rachel yelled. She had been walking out of her room towards the bathroom when she heard Monica's comment.

"Well, it's true," Monica said.

"I know," Rachel said. "Hey, Chandler. How is Kathy?"

"Good. Just...can I come in?" Chandler asked.

Monica nodded as she stepped aside for Chandler to walk in. He let out a sigh as he sat down at the table.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Monica said as she walked to the fridge. She opened it and pulled out a container of macaroni and cheese and another container of chicken and handed them to Chandler. "I figured you hadn't eaten."

"I haven't," Chandler said. "I'm an asshole. This is not something I should be pursuing, right?"

Monica and Rachel exchanged looks and walked towards him, both sitting on either side of him. Each gently massaging one of his arms, trying to comfort him.

"Chandler, she likes you," Rachel said.

"And Joey okayed it. He forgave you," Monica said.

"I know...it's just-"

"I hate it when you do this," Rachel said.

"Do what?" Chandler asked.

"You are so much harder on yourself than anyone else would even think to be."

"It's true. I actually agree with Rachel. You and Joey will be fine. I mean, yes, you messed up. We all see that but this doesn't make you a bad person," Monica said.

"Joey said that you guys were good...do you think Joey would say that if it wasn't true?" Rachel asked.

"No," Chandler said.

"So, how was it? With Kathy?" Monica asked.

"Nice. G-d, she so nice and perfect and kind...and funny. She knows who Ernie Kovacs and Milton Berle and Jack Benny are. She knows all those old comics and...I am so gonna fuck this up."

"You won't fuck it up. Chandler, you are a good person. Really, you are one of the good ones. Believe me, I'd tell you if you weren't," Rachel said.

"Well, that's a little mean."

Rachel let out a snort and playfully smacked him as he laughed.

"Chandler," Rachel said.

"It just began badly and it's going to just explode in my face and then Joey is gonna say he told me so and I...I don't know and-"

Monica let out an annoyed sigh. She hadn't meant to sound annoyed but she was tired. Her Thanksgiving had not gone according to plan either. She had ice in her eye and she had tried to have a date with Richard's son. Chandler had gotten a girlfriend and made up with his best friend. In her mind, he had had a far more successful Thanksgiving than she had.

"Can you enjoy this please?" Monica asked.

"Enjoy what?"

"Chandler, you got a girlfriend tonight and you got your best friend back. In my opinion, you had a pretty successful Thanksgiving. I tried to date Richard's son."

"And Ross and I got into a fight."

"Well, you do exchange a large number of gifts. Where's the backpack I got you?" Chandler asked.

"It's with the Travel Scrabble you got me."

"Big dog got it?"

"Huge dog."

"Got it. Alright, alright...you two are right. I should be happy. I should enjoy this. I don't know why I can't, you know?" Chandler asked.

"'Cause you're you. Just enjoy yourself and if it ends, we will all be there to pick up the pieces and if doesn't end...then I can't wait to start planning your wedding," Monica said.

"And Monica and I will help you along the way because we do realize that keeping you from losing your mind is a two person job," Rachel said.

"Three. Get Phoebe involved," Chandler said.

"Got it," Rachel said.

"Alright, I'm gonna go. Thanks for the food. I'll see you two tomorrow," Chandler said as he stood up, he gently gave both Rachel and Monica a quick kiss on the head before grabbing the containers and walking towards the door. As his hand reached for the knob, a thought dawned on him as a grinned spread across his face. He turned and looked at the two girls.

"I have a girlfriend."

"Yes," Monica said.

"I'm the only one of the six of us currently involved in a relationship," Chandler said.

"Yes, you are," Rachel said.

"So...who's the group stud now," Chandler said.

"Still Joey," both Monica and Rachel said together. Chandler let out a snort and shook his head.

"Dammit," Chandler said.

"Goodnight, Chandler," Monica said.

"We love you, stud," Rachel said.

"Oh, our manly, studly Chandler," Monica said.

"Bite me," Chandler said as both Monica and Rachel laughed. They continued to playfully tease him as he walked out the door. He laughed a little as he stepped towards his door and opened it and there Joey still sat, flip, flip, flipping through the channels.

"Joe?"

Joey turned off the television and turned the chair around to look at his friend. Chandler grabbed some silverware out of the drawer and walked over to him. He handed Joey the sandwich. Chandler then sat in the other chair and began digging into the mac and cheese.

"Thanks for sandwich."

"It's from Mon. She thought that would help you forgive me," Chandler said.

"I do forgive you. I know you're sorry. How was Kathy?"

"Good...so you do forgive me? We're good."

"Yeah, man. We're good. And you know man, I didn't tell 'em," Joey said.

Chandler felt his heart drop into his stomach. He knew what Joey was referring to. The drugs, the pills he had found in Chandler's room about eight months earlier. Chandler had begun taking the pills when he had broken up with Janice. He had begun taking Vicodin and Oxy Cotin, storing the pills under his bed so Janice would never find them. He had become addicted for about four months from November on 1996 to March of 1997 when Joey thinking he was going to play a trick on Chandler found his stash. That had been a long night, filled with endless fights between the two friends but by the time they all went to the beach a few months later, Chandler had gotten everything under control and Joey was thrilled, but then in the last month, Chandler had betrayed his friendship with Joey by kissing his girlfriend.

"Joe-"

"I'm not gonna tell 'em that you...what I found or that I helped you kick the pills. That's still our secret, but I will say...that's what killed me. I mean, I wasn't in love with Kathy. Fine, she makes more sense with you...but I was there, man. I...you fucked up."

"I know and hey, I will sleep in that box if you want me to."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know I was a crappy friend. I want you to know, you're my brother...I would never intentionally hurt you. Please know that."

"I know that and I'm glad you're healthy."

"I am and thank you. Thank you for being there for me and thank you."

"You're welcome. Good sandwich."

"Good mac and cheese. So what are you watching?"

"Nothing. Nothing on television."

"How 'bout Die Hard?" Chandler asked.

"Perfect."

Chandler smiled as he got up and walked over to the entertainment unit. As he began to set up the movie, the front door opened and Monica poked her head in.

"Hey, boys...can we come in?" Monica asked as both she and Rachel walked into the apartment, dressed for bed.

"Sure...you gonna sleep with us tonight?" Joey asked.

"No, we just wanted to make sure you two were okay," Rachel said.

"Yes, we're fine. Tomorrow Chandler's buying me a leather jacket," Joey said.

"I'm doing what?" Chandler asked as he looked over at Joey.

"I saw this awesome leather jacket the other day. It's about five hundred bucks," Joey said.

Chandler let out a snort. He knew Joey was taking advantage of how guilty he was feeling but he would let it go. The only thing he wanted was his friendship with Joey back and knowing that was on the mend, knowing Joey was forgiving him, he would happily buy his friend anything he wanted.

"Anything you want, man. You girls wanna watch Die Hard with us?" Chandler ask.

"No, but we will," Rachel said as she and Monica walked towards them. Rachel sat with Joey on his chair and Monica made herself comfortable in Chandler's. Chandler got Die Hard ready and walked back to his chair, sat and put his arm around Monica as the movie began.

"So you two boys really are good now?" Rachel asked.

"Yes. I wanna move on...alright?" Joey asked.

"Okay. I was just worried. I don't like it when you two fight," Rachel said.

"I know. We're good," Joey said as Rachel snuggled close to him.

In the other chair, Chandler was holding Monica close to him as the movie began. Monica looked up at Chandler who was smiling. She couldn't help but smile back.

"You're happy," Monica said.

"I am. It's the best Thanksgiving ever. Got a girlfriend, got my best friend back...got Die Hard,"

"Good, I like it when you're happy."

Monica rested her head on his chest as she continued watching. Chandler paid attention but his mind kept wandering. He was happy and Monica was right, he should enjoy this bit of happiness and he would. But the most important part to him was that Joey was his friend, he would never fully forgive himself for hurting Joey the way he had but was thrilled his friend at least forgave him. It was definitely one of the better Thanksgivings.


End file.
